The updated Surly Straggler reviewed: Is this cult-classic still the best go-anywhere bike around?

When Surly rolled out the Straggler in 2014, it blurred the lines between categories. On paper, it looked like a close cousin to the cyclocross-ready Cross Check, but it also incorporated looks and features from the Midnight Special and the Preamble.

In hindsight, the Straggler may have been ahead of its time, foreshadowing the now-booming All-Road category.

At its core, the Straggler is a steel all-road/gravel bike built for versatility. A true n-1 steed, the Straggler was designed to handle everything from light bikepacking to weekday commutes, and pretty much anything in between. It’s ready to disappear into the woods for a week, but it also looks like it might have a mixtape and a flask in the frame bag.

The latest update streamlines the Straggler lineup with fewer frame sizes and build options, likely to sharpen the distinction between models and simplify Surly’s broader range. The redesign also tackles a long-standing challenge: improving fit and stability for smaller riders.

I tested the new Straggler (size 49) on a ride from Telluride to Moab, a route that threw nearly every surface imaginable at it, including dirt, hardpack, loose rock, mud, pavement and even sand. After a series of long days with plenty of vert, here's how the new Straggler handled.

Construction & main features:

For the past decade, the Straggler has held its place as a timeless, steel-framed, dirtbag dream machine.

Earlier versions used a completely horizontal top tube, which forced riders with shorter inseams to size down for adequate standover clearance. The latest redesign simplifies the size and build lineup, introducing a slightly sloped top tube that improves standover height for smaller riders like myself.

The lowered seat tube also allows room for longer dropper posts. Surly adjusted the geometry further by increasing the bottom bracket drop for a lower centre of gravity and a more stable ride, and by raising the stack so the rider sits in a more upright, comfortable position.

The size range has been pared to eight options, and wheel sizes are now matched to frame size. Sizes 46–52 come with 650b wheels and 45 mm tires, while sizes 54–64 run 700c wheels with 47 mm tires. The smallest sizes are gone, with sizes 36 and 42 now discontinued. At 5’2”, I was especially curious how the new build would feel on 650b wheels, since some bikes that size leave me feeling cramped or oddly low. The Straggler’s geometry nailed it: the frame felt stable, balanced, and proportionate to the wheels, without making it awkward to stand over or put a foot down.

Specs:

• Frame and fork material: 4130 steel
• Tires: Teravail Washburn 650b x 47 (sizes 46-52), Teravail Washburn 700c x 45 (sizes 54-64)
• Clearance: Up to 50mm without fenders (47mm with)
• Chainring: 46/30 (also available as a 1x)
• Shifting: Shimano GRX 610
• Brakes: Shimano GRX (160mm)
• Cassette: 11-36
• Mount capabilities: Braze-ons for front and rear fenders and racks, and three bottle cages
• Price: $2,499 / £2,149.99

The Ride:

I’ve ridden the Straggler around town as well as on a week-long bike trip from Colorado into Utah.

It was geared well for long days with 5,000 feet of gravel climbing and just as ready for bombing down paved descents. After hours in the saddle, the Straggler kept the ride smooth enough that my legs and lower back never cried for mercy, which is a big win on any multi-day trip.

With flared bars, wide tyres and a dropper post, it felt planted and confident on steep, loose descents and corners. On rockier, chunkier sections, though, I started to feel its limits. With no suspension, much of the Straggler’s smoothness and vibration-damping comes from the steel frame, your choice of tyres and from your own knees and elbows, which the bike gives you plenty of room to use.

The Straggler understands why we ride gravel bikes in the first place. Sure, we could stick to a road bike for pavement, a ’cross bike for dirt and a hardtail for singletrack, but choosing a gravel bike instead is about embracing a certain spirit. An all-road bike feels more adventurous, more come-what-may. You could set out on the Straggler with a tidy road loop in mind, only to find its playfulness nudging you off-course mid-ride.

I never felt like I was dragging it around. The Straggler wants to climb, and it wants to wander. Its smooth ride and nimble handling felt right at home on gravel roads, while its geometry and wide bars invited detours onto trails to see how far it could be pushed. And maybe speed is relative, or even an illusion created by comfort, stability, and flow, but contrary to its name, the Straggler felt pretty fast.

Value & Conclusion:

At the end of the day, the Straggler has always been the bike that a whole spectrum of cyclists use for all kinds of adventures and errands–it’s versatile, it’s dependable, and it’s really fun. This new version is all of that, with just a bit more inclusivity for riders under 5’3” who want to push the limits of a fully-rigid bike (and not have it feel like overkill to ride to a coffee date either).

I’ve ridden some top-flight gravel bikes that were so light and jittery they made me feel like I was just doing some very expensive under-biking on washboard roads. Those models made me think I didn’t like riding gravel bikes. But the ride quality, versatility, and fit of this scrappy little wild card convinced me I do. I really, really do.